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| Thinking of starting a support group?; Ask questions here | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 25 2006, 06:48 PM (409 Views) | |
| Minxy | Jun 25 2006, 06:48 PM Post #1 |
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Administrator
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If you're thinking of running a support group then you might have questions. I know for a fact that a few people on this site run their own groups so I've opened this thread to give you all a place to discuss |
| www.themazegroup.org | |
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| :acorns47 | Jun 25 2006, 08:33 PM Post #2 |
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Bestest friend
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I am considering a reciprocal scheme, possibly incorporating a play scheme. My reasons for this are to give our SN kids a chance to play with a friend outside of school, just like our non SN kids do. Also by your child going to another child's house to play it may give you a brief break. Sue had the idea of people trading skills, so I might have someones child to play for 4 hrs and 'bank' 4 hrs 'credit', which I may take back in the form of my child going to another childs house to play, or by requesting some help, specialist or otherwise, such as childminding/babysitting service, or someone to do 4 hrs gardening or help me on my PC (which I really need! lol). I am thinking of doing this initially through Jen's school, but first sending out a questionnaire to see what response if any I get. Then I thought I could approach other neighbouring schools, both special and mainstream to reach other parents too. Also there is a support group called AS-UR in Poole, Dorset which I may use to generate help and ideas. Finally, I think it needs to have a website so that I can reach a wider target group and assist with the running of the scheme. The scheme would have a database of parents who have a child with SN's. This database will have a record of what parents want in the way of 'payment', whether it be child minding, for their own child to go and play somewhere, or to receive a specialist service, coupled with how much and what type of help & services they could offer. Already I can see it is full of pitfalls and to be honest I'm not 100 % sure I can get it off the ground. Could you folks who have been patient enough to read this take a look at the questions below and give me some feed back, either positive or negative, I would just appreciate honest answers from you all. Many thanks, Kim QUESTIONNAIRE: 1) Does your SN child ever have a friend over to play? A. Never B. 2 or 3 times a year/holidays only C. Every month D. Every week 2) Is this something that you would consider doing /doing more often if you felt it was reciprocated? YES/NO 3) Does your SN child ever go to play at a friend's house? A. Never B. 2 or 3 times a year/holidays only C. Every month D. Every week 4) How do you feel about having another SN child over to play? A. Can't cope B. House too small to even think of it C. Would consider doing it occasionally. D. Would consider doing it hoidays only E. Would consider doing it once a month F. Would consider doing it more often 5) Would you be prepared to swop some of your time doing babysitting/childminding/gardening etc etc in exchange for your child going to play at a friends house if you felt unable to have another child at your home? A. Can't cope B. 2 or 3 times a years C. Holidays only D. Once a month E. More often 6) If you answered yes to Q 5, what 'skills' or activities can you think of which you would be prepared to offer. 7) If such a scheme were to be proposed in your local area, would you be interested in helping to set up and run the scheme? YES/NO 8) Finally, please can you give me feed back as to any other ideas or suggestion s which could be used in conjuntion/or instead of the Reciprocal Play scheme. 9) Please feel free to add any comments, both positive and negative are needed in order to avoid the pitfalls. Many thanks x |
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| :acorns47 | Jun 26 2006, 07:13 AM Post #3 |
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Bestest friend
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Do any of the moderators know of a way of making this questionnaire annonymous so folks can respond freely? |
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| Minxy | Jun 26 2006, 07:22 AM Post #4 |
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You know it's surprising how many things we've had to chat about that we'd never thought of before starting the Maze. It's easy to step into something and let it take over and of course having my boys that wasn't possible. One of the first things we learned was to allocate time to the Maze and then work within that time limit as much as we could and not let Maze business take over everything else. That's important for the kids too of course as well as your partner. Also get yourself a phone, a cheap mobile and use that number for contact when it comes to your support group. That way if it gets too much or intrudes into your private lefe, you can turn it off. If people do contact you try and channel them towards the group rather than towards seeing you as their personal saviour, it's too much for you and not5 healthy for them. I'll add more things as I think of them! |
| www.themazegroup.org | |
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| Lisablue | Jun 26 2006, 11:18 AM Post #5 |
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A special friend
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Hi...good idea hope it goes well for you
In answer to your q's: 1) Fortunatley my friend has a son his age and he comes with my friend often. So that's a D 2) Yes 3) Only my friends house...otherwise it would be ano...but because of this YES 4) Havent a problem with it as long as the mother was happy and any SN explained as I wouldnt want to inadvertantly do something wrong and be held responsible! 5) Erm...to be honest I couldnt babysit as I have 3 at home and I HATE gardening but I would be happy for the child to come and play! It's not could I couldnt cope though so I cant really put one of your options to this one. (havent other skills to offer, I could go round with me guitar and sing a few songs!!!...lol) 6) Goes with 6...guitar playing...erm...lol 7) Oh toughie....wouldnt set it up but would help out running it. 8) It's a wonderful thing your hoping to do, I would just make sure your covered, as well as the volunteers, as to how to look after other's children so there isnt any comebacks if things go pear shaped...good luck lovely! |
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| :Rustic | Jun 26 2006, 05:10 PM Post #6 |
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Bestest friend
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Good thinking Mand, Kim, I'm going to start our group up first just as a support group, but with an outline of future plans to include reciprocal help, complementary therapy etc. Ours is going to be geared more towards complementary therapy, rather than a play scheme. I have more contacts in that area, and the therapists are already insured. Step 1 for us is to set up the support group, and then either fundraise ourselves, or apply for grants, or both. There will then be a certain "pot" of funds. Step 2 will be to bring in the system of group members getting "points" for swapping skills, they can use those points to swap for bought in services paid from the "pot", including childcare from qualified people, with first aid certificates etc. Like you I’m worried about the legalities of it all, so hopefully friendships at the support group will form and people will automatically informally help each other out, but the “points” would enable people to access professional services they might not otherwise have, and will catch anyone not able to get reciprocal childcare from informal friendships. For that I have a couple of people with the necessary childcare qualifications who I think will be open to doing babysitting work including SEN. Got to follow that up a lot more though. Thats the gap in the scheme at the moment, so I'll be interested in what you find out about the legalities! I've got 4 therapists who are prepared to offer cut-price therapies paid for by the support group. The member uses their points say for therapy for their children, or for the carer, or counselling or whatever the family needs. Or they can pay for the therapists partly in points, partly in cash etc. It will be designed to be as flexible as possible. Spent today looking at possible venues, and got a volunteer to help with the admin |
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| Minxy | Jun 26 2006, 07:22 PM Post #7 |
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One of the things we were faced with quite early on was someone who came to the group who's talk we felt was inapropriate to put it mildly, we very quickly learned to channel that person away from the rest of the group and between us we juggled them so that it didn't disrupt everyone else. I have to say that if it had come to a choice between frightening members off and losing this person then that was something we had to work out too. If you want to apply for any funding you will have to have a child protection policy in place, even in situations like the Maze where we insist that parents are responsible for their own children this is still a neccessity. If you want at any time you can look at ours. |
| www.themazegroup.org | |
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| :acorns47 | Jun 27 2006, 09:45 AM Post #8 |
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Bestest friend
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Thanks for your input girls, I really appreciate it. I have done a 'proper' questionnaire which I was hoping to send out to Jen's school, but the school office tell me they have to vet it first, so it is currently with them! My initial thoughts were to have it as an informal set up with children going to play. just as they would in ordinary circumstances, with a select group of friends, I rather though it would be the same people each time, with several others who for a variety of reasons cant have another child at their own home. I know I need to take into account issues such as someone caring for a child with specific needs, but how to organise the training I hadn't got that far yet, and now some of your comments have now got me wondering if individuals will need personal indemnity insurance? I am quite happy to put in place a child protection policy and an over all policy of what is and isn't permissable. I addition to this, a list of proceedures, such as keeping pets out of the way, and what constitutes adequate supervision of someones child. I was also thinking of a care plan, with parental contact and instructions specific to each child. However I am concerned that the legislative & beaurocratic red tape, not to mention all the form filling may prove off putting to most parents.... Sue you mentioned you were looking at venues, and I wondered how you were going to fund it? I know from a previous experience in trying to set up a Leg Ulcer club that the venue wanted £15.00 per hour, and the Health Trust didnt give us a penny I have ideas now flooding my brain and I think I need to consolidate them in to some kind of formal strategy..... But first, a cup of coffee
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| :Rustic | Jun 27 2006, 10:33 AM Post #9 |
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Bestest friend
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Mine's a cup of tea and a doughnut :lol: I'm going to find a venue where they do cheaper rates for non profit groups. For instance some places do cheaper rates for support groups than they would charge say for a slimming club that is out to make big bucks. Local schools are probably the best places to try first. Also here at least they are supposed to make sure that a group that rents a room for an evening has public liability insurance, if not they charge an additional premium (probably about 10 per cent of the rental) to be covered by the local authority's insurance. With us that's probably what I'll do, it will save a lot of hassle. To raise the funds, we're thinking of doing a complementary therapy open day, with the therapists giving their time free, and charging the public for "taster" sessions. The therapists will do it for advertising, as they generally pick up a bit of work from things like this. Hire the local hall, do teas etc, and actually advertise what we are raising funds for, so hopefully anyone interested in the subject will call in as well to find out about the group. We'll have someone with a support group stall, giving out leaflets and information. Tell the local press etc. The money we raise can go towards the venue for the support group meetings, hopefully for at least a full term, and we'll go from there. |
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| :acorns47 | Jun 27 2006, 07:17 PM Post #10 |
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Bestest friend
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I guess what I need most of all is a few key people who can help me move this thing forward. I will see what response the questionnaire generates...that is if I ever get to send it out...the HT at Jens school is still vetting it! May be if I get enough respondents who are keen, I will suggest a meeting, focus group/support group to work out a strategy. I read your bit about cut price therapies and now feel all deflated cos after 24 years in nursing I don't know if I have anything to offer anyone!
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| :Rustic | Jun 27 2006, 08:01 PM Post #11 |
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Bestest friend
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24 years in nursing and you don't know if you've got anything to offer anyone? Aw hun, if you were local to me I would be begging you to join us. Having someone with conventional nursing training is a mega asset. You'd open doors that I can't, in playgroups, schools, medical centres, hospitals etc. I'm not conventionally trained like you are, that is the major advantage you have. I need a lie down just thinking that you are wondering if you have anything to offer. Can you move here? :lol: I am just doing what I know, because I don't know what else to do IYKWIM. I wouldn't have the first clue about playschemes, but I'm hoping to attract someone who does. And I wouldn't get any support from my kids school - I'm banned :lol: I have contacts with complementary therapists because I rent my therapy room to a couple of them, and have done training with another. If you want to raise funds you could always do a small mailshot to local therapists and see if they'd do you an open day, you might be surprised how many are also touched by the same issues in their own families, and who would offer to help the support group in other ways, perhaps as a speaker for example. But a letter from someone with a nursing background to local surgeries, hospitals etc, posters up, spreading the word to parents, speakers from the medical profession....... Go for it!Sue
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| :acorns47 | Jun 27 2006, 08:36 PM Post #12 |
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Bestest friend
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Well I work as community nurse for a local GP surgery! What I meant was, 24 years in the NHS as a staff nurse, its not really a transferrable skill is it, its too generic if you know what I mean.........know anyone who needs a leg ulcer dressing, or a blood test, or a B12 injection, or anyone of a hundred other things? Jack of all trades, master of none if you understand
Not sure I'm well in at Jens school either cos I'm always writing letters complaining of this and that. I wouldnt be surprised if the questionnaire ended up in the bin! My latest criticism is about them giving Jen joined up handwriting practice when she cant understand what it means and can't even print more than her name! on soap box now! Every week there is something I feel I just have to say. I am a teachers worst nightmare I'm afraid, but it does have its benefits. I know how to write a mean letter and can put forward a good arguement, which I guess is one transferrable skill! (hooray, I found one)
:lol: Well I cant join you cos you're too far away I expect but we can exchange ideas, though I'm about as much use as a chocolate teapot at the moment! I have had the idea and thats about it
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| :Rustic | Jun 27 2006, 08:55 PM Post #13 |
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Bestest friend
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You've got a good idea, you are a community nurse for a GP surgery with 24 years nursing experience, looking to start a support group, and you can write a mean letter. I've got a good idea, I'm a part time complementary therapist, looking to start a support group, and I know a few other therapists. Slightly different circumstances, slightly different ideas, but we can both do it. Lets to that
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| Minxy | Jun 27 2006, 08:58 PM Post #14 |
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Administrator
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And I'm proud of both of you so can I have a drink too? |
| www.themazegroup.org | |
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| :acorns47 | Jun 28 2006, 09:07 AM Post #15 |
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Bestest friend
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Don't break open the champers cos I havent done anything yet!
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Go for it!
on soap box now! Every week there is something I feel I just have to say. I am a teachers worst nightmare I'm afraid, but it does have its benefits. I know how to write a mean letter and can put forward a good arguement, which I guess is one transferrable skill! (hooray, I found one)
:lol:
to that
:lol: 
8:36 AM Jul 11